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Science Reading. 


CHICAGO — 

A FLANAGAN, PUBLISHER. 



















LIBRARY OP CONGRESS. 

'PtWM- 

Cliap... Copyright No.- 

Shelf_._2}-3___H<5 


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




















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Nature 

AND 

History Stories 

OR 

First Lessons in Science Reading, 



FANNIE F. HICKS. 


Illustrated by C. EDITH HICKS. 


CHICAGO : 

A. FLANAGAN, Publisher, 



/ 




PH 


/ %7<r 

Copyright, *896, 

BY 

A. FUNAGAN, 

)L {ZaaA(\jp/, 

/ 2 - 3y/o</ 




INDEX. 


PAGE. 

About Nuts. 33 

Agoonack. 44 

An Elm Tree. 22 

Ants. 15 

Basket of Fruit, A. 56 

Bear and the Squirrel. 75 

Black Bear, The.. 21 

Canary, The. 20 

Carrot, The. 36 

Cleon, the Greek Boy. 53 

Cocoon, A. 23 

Columbus. 83 

Dream, A.. 4 1 

Easter Lily, The. .. 18 

Fairy Plumule.. 9 

Fisli, The. 77 

From Seed to Seed.. 13 

Grasshopper.. 35 

Grub and Catterpiller. 25 

Guessing Play I. 94 

Guessing Play II. 95 

Hiawatha. 97 

Hiawatha, Story of. 47 

Holmes, Oliver Wendell. 43 

House, The. 45 

How Frank and Frisky Got the Nuts. 32 

Indian, The... 4 6 

Introduction. 5 

Kablu, Story of. 49 































I N D EX. 


Milk Weed, The. 66 

Miss, Violet. n 

More About the Apple. 38 

Moth, The. 24 

Mr. and Mrs. Cabbage. 28 

Mr. Apple’s Story. 37 

Mrs. Pussy.. 2 3 

Nell and Skip. 73 

Owl, The. 27 

Persian Boy, The. 51 

Pets I. 70 

Pets II. 71 

Picture Story.. 65 

Prairie Dog, The. 76 

Pretty Leaves, The. 30 

PussyWillow. 7 

Rainbow, The.. 8 r 

Ready for Winter. . 58 

Snowflake, A. 39 

Talk of Mother Nature's, A... 79 

Tell The Truth. 42 

Thanksgiving. 59 

Tree and the Sun, A... 78 

Twigs. 8 

Twig’s Story, The. 14 

Washington, George, I.. 

Washington, George, II. 87 

Washington, George, III. 89 

Washington, George, IV . 92 

What We Eat. 57 

White Bear, The. 21 

Winter’s Twig, A.. ... 40 


































INTRODUCTION. 


Every story in this collection comes fresh from use in 
the school room. 

The stories were written and used as supplemental 
reading lessons to the regular reading, language and 
science lessons. 

These lessons have been prepared with thoughtful 
care for the children, whom I love and serve. 

To those who may wish to know concerning the man¬ 
ner of presentation of the following subjects, allow me to 
make brief explanations. 

These reading lessons were the outgrowth of previous 
language lessons, were given to a class of fifty first and 
second grade children, and took the place of one reading 
period, two of which we had each day. 

During the Language period of twenty minutes, obser¬ 
vation of objects was made by whole class and also by 
individual pupils. During and after observation, ques¬ 
tions previously prepared and now in mind, were asked; 
thus bringing out many facts and fancies. 

During Reading period of twenty minutes, the story 
was written upon the blackboard, sentence by sentence, 
and read by the children as written; then, whole para¬ 
graphs read by one child. After whole lesson had been 
given in this way I allowed, as a favor, one, two or 
three children to read entire lesson. 

The materials for illustration and observation were 
furnished by the children themselves—for instance, one 



day a little girl came bringing to the school-room a beauti¬ 
ful brown owl, saying as she handed it to me, “Here is 
an owl like Hiawatha’s.” A lesson upon birds in gen¬ 
eral and an owl in particular was the result. 

For observation on the cat, a pet kitten was brought 
to school for a day’s visit. 

The flowers, vegetables, fruits, cocoons, grasshoppers, 
frogs, leaves, twigs and nuts were all eager contributions 
by the children. 

When reading lesson was placed on blackboard it was 
accompanied by appropriate sketch, thus bringing to 
mind information already gained. 

In preparing these lessons, frequent use has been 
made of words used in regular reading lessons. 

Trusting that these lessons may be helpful, and that 
you in your school-room, may derive from their use as 
much pleasure and benefit as in mine, lam 

Yours in the Work, 

FANNIE F. HICKS. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


PUSSY WILLOW. 



Little $ Pussy Willow had been shut up 
in her little house all winter. 
One bright spring morning she came 
out. She was glad to feel the bright 
sunlight. 

The flowers were asleep. The birds, 
the buds, and the grass were all she 
saw. She looked very bright and 
happy. The birds were glad to 
see her. 

The robin said, “Good 
morning, Pussy! you are 
up bright and early. Why do you 
wear that hood ? ” 

“O, Mother Nature told me to keep it on." 

The trees, the grass, and the brook were 
glad to see Mrs. Pussy, jr—|?j} but said so 
much about the hood that r g/ she came 
near taking it off. $he^<£qg did not do it, 
but only said: “Wait^^Jf^ and see." 

One morning there was Pussy Willow with 
no hood, but bright yellow curls. 





8 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


TWIGS. 


“See this little twig, May. It is a twig from 
the apple tree. Do you not think it pretty?” 

“Yes, Bessy, I think it very pretty.” 

The tree has many 
little twigs on it. 

It has many large 
twigs, too. 

The twigs have very 
many little buds on 
them. 

The little buds will __ 

grow into big buds. 

The buds will open into leaves and blossoms. 

The leaves will be a pretty green. 

The blossoms will be pink and white. 

Soon the blossom will drop off. 

In place of the blossom will come a tiny, 
green ball. 

This tiny ball will grow larger and larger. 

At last it will become a bright, red apple. 





NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


9 


FAIRY PLUMULE. 

Here is a little white 
house. 

A fairy lives in this 
house. 

Her name is Fairy Plumule. 

Fairy Plumule can not get out of this house 
now. 

The house has but one room in it. 

It is a long room. 

It has beautiful white walls. 

There is a little cradle in this room. 

The cradle is white. 

Fairy Plumule sleeps in this cradle. 

Fairy Plumule has on a soft white dress. 

She has two tiny little wings folded at her 
side. 

When the sun shines Fairy is very happy. 
Sometimes she wants to see the birds. 

She wants to see the pretty flowers. 

She wants to see the green grass and the blue 
sky. 

But the door is closed and she can not get out. 



10 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


One day some children took the little white 
house. 

They put the house in a nice, soft bed of 
earth. 

Then Fairy was left all alone. 

Soon she heard little light footsteps over her. 
It was the rain. 

The rain soaked through the brown blanket 
of earth and moistened the house. 

Then the house began to swell. 

The house broke in two. 

The Fairy felt bad about this, but said, “I will 
grow; then I can see the beautiful world.” 

She put her little feet into the soft earth. 

She stretched up her tiny hands. 

She began to grow. 

Soon she was above the ground. 

She saw the grasses dressed in green. 

She saw the trees dressed in green. 

So Fairy, too, put on a lovely green dress. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


11 


MISS VIOLET. 

I am a little violet. 

1 am glad to see you. 

All winter I was asleep. 

One day I came out of my long nap. 

1 heard the birds. 

1 saw the sun. 

I came out to see them. 

Miss White Violet and Miss Yellow Violet 
came, too. 

We are glad to be here, for the boys and 
girls love us. 

Good morning, boys and girls! 

1 am a pretty 
blossom. 

My home is 
where there are 
many trees. 

One day in 
Spring the rain 
came tapping at 
the door of my 
great brown house. 






12 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


s The sun shone in and kissed me. 

This woke me from my long winter’s nap. 

1 came out of the house. 

I was a little plant. 

Now I am larger. 

On my head I have five blue petals, five green 
sepals and five stamens. 

My leaves are like a heart and are a dark 
green. 

Come and see me, little boys and girls. 

The root sleeps. 

The sun shines. 

The rain falls. 

The root wakes. 

The root grows. 

The plant blossoms. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


in 


FROM SEED TO SEED, 

Do you see me? 

I am Mrs. Bean. 

I have a thin skin. 

I have two cotyledons. 

1 have a plumule. 

My plumule grows up. 

I have a caulicle. 

My caulicle grows down. 

Now I am a big bean stalk. 

I have roots, stems, leaves, flowers, pods and 
baby beans. 


14 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


THE TWIG’S STORY. 

One morning the boys and girls came into 
the school room, each bearing in his hand a 
twig. 

Bessie took them and put them in a large 
vase; as she did so she heard them say, “Good 
morning, little girl. How do you do?” 

“1 am well, thank you.” 

“I am glad to see you to-day,” said the twig. 

“Please tell me who you are, and all about 
your home,” said the little girl. 

“I am a twig from the apple-tree. There are 
very many of us on one tree, and each is a cradle 
for a little baby bud. All winter the buds have 
been very still. They were fast asleep. Their 
beds were soft as down and white as snow. 
They had on warm jackets. 

“One day Mother Nature came and woke 
them from their long nap. 

‘“Spring is here,’ said she. ‘The sun will 
shine on you, and the rain will come down to 
kiss your little faces, then you will open into a 
beautiful leaf.’” 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


15 


Bessie thanked the twig for its story, told the 
boys and girls what it had said; and they, eager 
to know if all this were really true, watched 
carefully day by day the twigs in the vase and 
those on the trees. 

Sure enough, everything came true just as the 
twig had told Bessie. 


ANTS. 

One day a little girl was sitting in a bright, 
sunny place near an old apple tree. While there 
she saw, on a tiny green leaf, a great many 
insects running from place to place. 

They had glossy, black coats, and their waists 
were like a slender thread. 

As May watched them, presently one came 
and, looking at her, said, “Good morning, little 
girl.” 

“Good morning, Mrs. Ant. I am very glad 
to see you here again.” 

“Thank you, Miss Bessie, but 1 have not been 
from this place since last autumn.” 

“Have you not? I have seen nothing of you 
since last October/’ 


16 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


“No, little girl; because I and all the other 
ants have been fast asleep all through the long, 
cold winter. 

“The Spring came and wakened us. 

“Now we are hard at work. 

“We are cleaning our houses and getting 
ready for summer.” 

“I shall be glad, Mrs. Ant, to have you tell 
me something about your home.” 

“I will try to do so. 

“We build almost entirely under ground. 

“There are many rooms in our house. 

“Some of the rooms are round, and some are 
oval. These rooms are connected by long halls. 

“Some of our homes are three or four feet 
deep, and some of them have many doors or 
ways to enter.” 

“Do you work all night, Mrs. Ant?’ 

“Sometimes, if we are very busy.” 

“Please tell me what you do.” 

“We bring many tiny grains of sand from 
down stairs up into the beautiful sunlight. 
After the grains are warmed by the sun, we 
carry them back again into the rooms below.” 

“And is this all that you do?” 


NA TURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


17 


“Oh, no, little Bessie. We milk our tiny 
green cows, of which we have a great number.” 

“Ants milk cows! Pray, how large are your 
cows?” 

“Just turn up the leaves of that rose bush. 
There! Do you not see a number of little pale- 
green insects?” 

“Why, those are plant lice, and do a great 
deal of harm to the shrubs.” 

“Well, they are our cows, and give us nice 
milk, as sweet as honey. 

“And now good-bye, little Bessie, 1 must 
hasten home and help take care of the babies.” 


18 


MATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 



THE EASTER LILY. 

We have an 
Easter lily in our 
school-room. 

It is very 
beautiful. 

There are 

three lovely blossoms on it. 

They are white and shining. 
There are three large buds and 
two small ones on our lily. 

The flower is pure white. 

The buds are a light green. 

The stem is long and slender. 

There are many long, sharply pointed, dark 
green leaves on our lily plant. 

The bulb, which we can not see, is in the 
soft earth. 

It is hidden from sight. 

It is very useful. 

Without it there could be no beautiful flower. 
The lily says to us, “Be pure, be pure, and 
live to make others happy.” 




NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


19 



Do you see me? 

I am a beautiful 
plant. 

My name is Easter 
Lily. 

Do you think I am 
pretty? 

1 love little boys 
and girls. 

. 1 give them of my 
sweetness. 

The more I give the 
more I have to give. 

My flower is bell¬ 
shaped. 

There are six parts 
to my flower. 

My stem is very 
long. 

It is like a cylinder. 

I have many 
dark green leaves. 


They are long and narrow. 
You can not see my bulb. 
It is in the ground. 





20 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 



It is shaped something like a sphere, and has 

# 

on a rough brown dress. 

I am pure and white. I say to all, “Be pure.” 

THE CANARY. 

, children. 

I have come to tell you 
about myself. 

My name is Canary. 

1 was once a tiny egg. 
I was in a pretty 
nest. 

Tlxere were two 
other eggs in the 
nest. 

The mother bird 
sat on us to keep 

us warm. 

One morning mama said, “I think the eggs 
will hatch to-day.” 

I came out of the egg. 

I said, “Tweet, tweet, tweet.” 

I ate bread and milk. 

I sat in the nest. 



NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


21 


I grew very fast. 

Now 1 have a bright, soft coat to keep me warm. 
I will sing a sweet song for you. 

THE WHITE BEAR. 

Do you see me? 

I am Agoonack’s 
bear. 

I am a big white 


My name is Nannook. 

1 eat?^JStj25: seals and I swim. 

See ^ggSi|f=®' m y t] lree little bears. 

My little bears are white. 

1 gave, Agoonack her coat. 

THE BLACK BEAR. 

I am a black bear. 

My name is Bruin. 

1 eat ants and honey. 
I can climb a tree. 

I sleep in a hollow tree when the snow comes. 
1 wake when the flowers come and the sun 
shines. 

Now 1 am a thin bear. 








22 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


AM ELM TREE. 

Do you know who I am? 

I am Mr. Elm Tree. 

1 am a large plant. 

I have roots, a stem or trunk, and many 
branches, twigs and buds. 



My roots go deep down into the earth. 

They are strong and keep me from falling. 
My trunk rises high in a single stem, then 
divides into branches. 





NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 23 

These branches are again divided into many 
long branches. 

1 am a very graceful tree. 

1 have been sleeping all winter. 

Now it is spring I have awakened. 

1 must wake up all my little buds. 

1 feed them with sap. 

This makes them grow to be big buds. 

The buds on the ends of my branches open first. 
Soon I shall have on a pretty green dress. 

You will say the tree has new green leaves. 
Then, boys and girls, you can sit and play in 
the pleasant shade which they make. 

fl COCOON. 

Do you know what 1 am? 
1 am a Cocoon. 

My home was on a tree. 
One day, last fall, Char¬ 
ley found me and took me 
to school. 

The children were very 
glad to see me. 

After being carefully 



24 


A/A TORE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


looked at I was put into a box and put away for 
a long winter’s nap. 

One day, in spring, I was taken and put into 
the warmth and light. 

Here 1 remained for four or five weeks. 

Every day the children looked at me. 

One day—what do you think they saw? 


THE MOTH. 


1 am Mrs. Moth. 

I was in the cocoon. 

I came out of the cocoon. 

Little Ernest was the first to see me. 



He soon told the other children. 
They all came to look at me. 

1 was not afraid. 

How delighted they were. 

They admired my beautiful dress. 
They looked at my wings. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


25 


They counted my legs. 

One said, “What a strange shaped body, and 
just see those rings around it!” 

“Oh, there are its eyes!” exclaimed another. 
“How weak it is, poor thing.” 

“O, Miss Hicks, will he learn to fly?” 

GRUB AND CATTERPILLAR. 

Good morning, children. 



1 have come out of the 
egg which Mrs. Moth left for 
you to look at. 


I am a baby Grub. 

| shall eat many leaves. 
1 shall grow very fast. 


And now I am Mr. Catterpiller. 



Do not be 
afraid, 1 will 


1 will be with you all summer. 

What will I do in autumn? 

Fasten myself to the fence, or the limb of a 
tree, spin a cocoon about me to keep me from 
the cold, and then go to sleep for the winter. 


26 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


MRS. PUSSY. 

1 am a Cat. 

I have a soft fur coat. 

I have large, bright eyes. 

At night the pupil of my eye is round. It is 
not round when 1 am where it is light. 

I can run up a tree. 

1 can run down a^tree. 

Do you know how many toes I have? 



See, I have twelve flat teeth in front, six 
above and six below. 

Just look at these four long, sharp teeth. 

All flesh-eating animals have four long, sharp 
teeth. They use them in tearing their food. 





NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


27 


Cats, you know, live almost entirely on flesh. 

I have eight large back teeth. 

It is with these teeth 1 hold a little animal 
after catching it. 

I have sharp claws which help me hold a 
mouse or squirrel. 

When I am "walking you can scarcely see 
them, for then there is a little cushion on each 
foot. 

Good-bye, boys and girls, I must be off now 
and get a nice fat bird for my dinner. 

THE OWL. 

“Whol Who!” Do you hear me? 

1 am Hiawatha’s owl. 

I can not swim, but 1 
can fly. 

I have two wings and 
two feet. 

1 am a brown owl. 

My dress is made of 
feathers. 

I catch chickens. 

The fish lives in water. 

1 live in air. 



28 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


I breathe through my lungs. 

1 like to run and fly. 

You call little fish, minnows. 

1 call my little ones, owlets. 

The fish likes to swim. 

I like to fly when the moon and stars are out. 
Good bye, children. “Who! Who!” 

MR. AND MRS. CABBAGE. 

One bright sunshiny morning last spring, Mr. 
Brown, the farmer, went to his garden. He 



made a nice, soft bed, in which to put many 
babies to sleep while there. 

These babies, which he carried in a little 
basket, were shaped like tiny spheres. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


29 


Mr. Brown took them carefully and laid them 
gently in their long, narrow beds. They then 
took a nice nap. 

Soon the rain came and kissed them. The 
sun smiled upon them. After a while they 
awoke, and peeped out to say, “Good morning, 
pretty birds and flowers.” 

What do you think? They were babies no 
longer, but little boys and girls all dressed in 
lovely green coats. 

All the bright summer days these little people 
kept on growing. 

One day in autumn Kate came into the 
garden. 

What do you think she saw? 

Not boys and girls, to be sure; but a long 
line of men and women. 

They had round, shiny heads, around which 
could be seen a ruffle of broad, green leaves. 

O, please tell us the name of these people. 

Can you not tell? 

Oh, yes! 1 know. Mr. and Mrs. Cabbage. 


30 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


THE PRETTY LEAVES. 


Oh, the pretty leaves! 

See, they are falling! 

They are red and yellow and brown. 



They look like little birds. 

Birds fly in the air. 

Leaves do not fly. 

Leaves flutter in the air. 

Here is one. Here is another, and another. 

O, you beautiful leaves! I will take you home 
to mamma. 



NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


31 


This is a maple leaf. 
It has a long stem. 



Here is an oak leaf. 

An oak leaf has a short, green petiole. 



blade of a maple leaf. 








32 


MATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


The blade of the oak leaf is dark green. 

It is glossy. 

The blade of the maple leaf is dark green on 
the upper side and light green on the under side. 

Can you find some oak leaves and some 
maple leaves? 

HOW FRANK AND FRISKY GOT THE NUTS. 

The leaves are falling, and it is cold. 

Frisky would like some nuts. 



He went to the beech tree to get some, but 
he found them all covered with burrs. 

Frank wanted some beechnuts, too. 

He asked his mamma to go to the tree with 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 33 

him. But when they reached the trees no nuts 
were to be seen, only green burrs. Then they 
went to the butternut trees and the hickory 
trees, but the nuts were all wrapped up tight in 
their green coats. 

There were no nuts for Frank and Frisky. 

One night it was very cold, and mamma said, 
“I think Jack Frost will come to-night.” 

Sure enough, Jack Frost did come and touch 
every one of the nuts, and out they popped 
where Frank and Frisky could get them. 

ABOUT NUTS. 

Here are some nuts. Nuts are seeds. 



This is a branch from a hickory tree. 


34 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


The nut is in a case or burr. 

There are four parts to it, which come off 
when the nut is ripe. 

The bark of the tree is rough and shaggy. 

The leaf has five leaflets, three large ones and 
two small ones. 

The wood is of a light color and is very tough 
and hard. 

The walnut does not look like the hickory nut. 

The hickory nut is smooth. The walnut is 
rough, and is larger and darker in color. 

When Jack Frost comes he opens the burrs 
and the nuts drop to the ground. 

Chestnuts are good to eat. 

The chestnut tree has dark green glossy 
leaves. 

The wood is not so dark as the walnut. 

Tables and chairs are made of the wood. 

Hazel nuts do not grow on trees. They grow 
on bushes. 

Each nut is in a green leafy cup. 

The stems of the hazel are burned so as to 
make charcoal. 

These burned stems are used by artists in 
drawing. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


35 


GRASSHOPPER. 

Listen, children, while 1 tell you something 
about myself. 

1 am Mr. Grasshopper. 

1 can hop and fly. 

I live in the grass. 

I have two pair of wings. 

The first pair are called wing-covers. 

They are like your rubber coat. 

The second pair are folded like a fan. 

I have six legs, four short ones and two long 
ones. 

My body has three parts to it. 

My head is shaped something like a triangle. 

I have two large eyes. 

I have a small eye under each large eye, and 
another small eye in the middle of my face. 

I am an insect, because I was first an egg; 
then, a grub; and, at last, a grasshopper. 


36 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


THE CARROT. 

“Just look at me, my bright-eyed boys and 
girls." 

“Certainly, Mr. Carrot; how do you do 
to-day?" 

“Very happy, indeed, my little 
lads and lassies." 

“Please tell me why you are so 
happy." 

“Why, don’t you know? Mr. 
Brown, the farmer, has brought me 
from my soft, brown, earthy bed, 
where 1 have been growing all 
summer." 

“Oh, yes! we know that; but 
why does it please you so much?" 

“Because, my dears, I, with my 
many brothers and sisters, can 
now be of use in the world. 

“Some of us will help to make your Thanks¬ 
giving dinner; others will make many a dinner 
for old Bess, the cow. Then she will give you 
nice sweet milk, which you like so much." 



37 


MATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 

“Thank you, Mr. Carrot, for your story.” 
“One word more, before I say good bye. Be 
useful to others and you will be happy. Good 
bye.” 

“Good bye.” - 

MR. APPLE’S STORY. 

Good morning, dear children. 

You must look high up on this tree if you 



There; do you see me? And do you know 
who I am? No? 

Well, then, I must tell you. 

1 am Mr. Apple. Is not that a pretty name? 




38 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


Just see how round I am and look at my 
nice red cheek. 

When I was a baby I had a cloak all pink 
and white, and you called me a blossom and 
were so glad to see me, for then you knew the 
lovely spring was surely here. 

Soon I lost my pretty cloak, but there came 
a little green jacket in its place, and in that coat 
I have been growing all summer while you were 
at play, and now you find me.all juicy and sweet, 
ready for some good boy or girl to eat.” 

MORE ABOUT THE APPLE. 

This apple is like a sphere. 

It has a thin, smooth, glossy skin. 



The skin of the apple may be rough. 

We will cut the apple and look at the pulp. 
The pulp is white and juicy. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


39 


It is the part which we eat. 

In the center of the apple are little ceils. 
These cells are the core. 

The core is a good warm house for the little 



How many seeds in these apples? 


A SNOWFLAKE. 


Dear little snowflake, how pretty you are? 
Where did you come 
from? 

Is your home in the 
sky? 

You look like a star, 



you are so bright. 

You are very white. 

You are, oh, so cold! 

I will take you to the fire. 




40 


NA TORE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


Have you been for a long ride? 

Your dress is so thin it did not keep you warm. 

And now that you are warm you are not a 
snowflake. 

You are a water drop. 

A WINTER’S TWIG. 

One day in winter our teacher asked us for 
twigs and branches from the trees. 

Emma brought twigs from the pear tree, John 
from the horse chestnut, and other boys from 
the maple. 

We were asked to look at the twigs. 

Each took a twig from the pear tree. We 
saw little scars on alternate sides of the stem. 

These scars mark the spot where leaves had 
fallen off. 

The place on a stem from which leaves grow 
out are called nodes. 

We also saw tiny little buds placed near each 
other, but on alternate sides of the stem. 

These little buds were shaped like an ovoid, 
and each had on a close-fitting brown jacket. 

Inside the coat we found a soft, white blan¬ 
ket of down. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


41 


This downy blanket was carefully put around 
a tiny, baby leaf. 

Yes, there we found the dear little leaf fast 
asleep, waiting for the warm spring-time to come 
and waken it. 


A DREAM. 

Harry fell asleep, and had a strange dream. 
He thought he was a drop of water in a bright 
tin cup which May had left on the steps. 

The sun came and kissed him, and he began 
to feel very warm. There came a puff of wind 
and he was wafted into the air. 

As he rose higher and higher, he grew 
colder and colder. At last, he was so cold 
he could hardly feel at all. Everything grew 
dark, and he knew he was slowly and gently 
falling down. 

When it grew lighter he saw fluffy flakes of 
snow softly gliding down with him to the ground. 
Every thing was white. 

In that soft, white bed he lay fast asleep. 

After a time he awoke—that is, he thought 
he awoke, but he was still dreaming. He heard 
a little girl say, as she came out of the door, 


42 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


“Dear little snowflake, how pretty you are! I 
am glad to see you. You are so very white and 
clean.” 

“Are you a winter flower?” 

“Did you grow up in the sky?” 

“Where did you come from?” 

“Harry took off his cap and said, “Good 
morning,” to her, and told her all we had heard 
about the snowflake. 

Was not all this a strange dream? Yet, my 
dear, if you were a snowflake you would really 
see and do all of these things which Harry saw 
and did in his dream. 


TELL THE TRUTH. 


George Washington was once a little boy. 
He was a very good boy. 

His copy-book was-very neat. 

He liked to play soldier. 

He liked to ride a horse. 

He had a little hatchet. 

He liked to use his little hatchet. 



He cut down his father’s cherry tree. 
He was an honest boy. 

He always told the truth. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


43 


He grew to be a man. 

Then he was a general. 

He did many kind acts. 

He was loved by all. 

When he died every one was very sorry. 


OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES. 

A kind old man once lived in a city. 

He died when eighty-five years old. 

His name was Oliver Wendell Holmes. 

He wrote many beautiful poems. 

He wrote many fine stories. 

He had many books. 

He had many friends. 

He always told the truth. 

He was very neat and tidy. 

Mr. Holmes had a bright, happy face. 

He was very fond of the country. 

He loved the city, too. 

He liked to be out doors. 

He liked to pick the wild flowers. 

A little pink spring flower he liked best. 

We will try to be as truly great as was Mr. 
Holmes. 


41 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


AGOONACK. 

The Esquimaux lives in a very, very cold 
country, where there is darkness one half the 
year and a little light one half the year. 

Their house is made of snow and ice, and is 
shaped like half a sphere. 

The door is close to the ground, and one 
must creep on hands and knees to enter. 

The window is a small hole above the door, 
and instead of glass has a skin stretched across it. 

In front of the house we see Agoonack, a 
little Esquimaux girl; she is not dressed as we are, 
but wears stockings made of birds’-skin. Over 
these are worn shoes of sealskin. Next, she wears 
leggings or trousers of white bearskin, and a little 
jacket, called a jumper, of the same material. 
The hood is also made of bearskin. 

It is Agoonack’s birthday, and her father has 
given her a sled made from the bones of the walrus 
and whale bound together with strips of sealskin. 

To draw the sled there are two beautiful 
brown and white dogs, and Agoonack will have 
many a fine ride after them. 




NA TORE AND HISTOR V STORIES. 


45 


THE HOUSE, 

Now we will creep into the house and see 
how they live. 

Outside it is very cold, but in the house we 
find it warm as our own homes. The heat does 



not come from a stove but from a lamp with long 
wicks of moss a-nd plenty of walrus fat to burn; 
over it the mother cooks the soup, but most of 
the meat is eaten raw, cut in long strips and eaten 
as we do candy. 

These people have no bread, no apples, or 
potatoes. They have nothing but meat and some¬ 
times the milk of the reindeer. 



46 


NA TURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


When the men come home from hunting the 
bear there is a merry feast, and they laugh and 
talk and tell stories of the hunt, and the seals 
they have seen and the foot-tracks of the rein¬ 
deer. 

Perhaps while they are having this gay time 
a snow storm will come and cover the little 
house. When the storm ends they dig out the 
low door-way and creep again into the starlight 
and the cold. 


THE INDIAN. 

The Indian is large. 

The Indian has copper-colored skin. 

The Indian has high cheek bones. 

The Indian has long straight black hair. 

He wears moccasins on his feet. 

The moccasins are trimmed with porcupine 
quills. 

He wears a necklace of shells. 

His skirt is short and made of deer skin. 

He wears feathers in his hair. 

The women are called squaws. 

The squaw wears a dress skirt made of skin, 
and a blanket for a shawl. 



NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


47 


The Indians paint their faces red, yellow and 
blue. 

The children are called papooses. 

The children wear little or no clothing. 

The Indian lives in a wigwam. 

He sleeps on hemlock boughs or skins. 
Indians are fond of hunting and fishing. 

Mr. Longfellow wrote a pretty story about 
the Indians. 

Do you know the story of Hiawatha? 

STORY OF HIAWATHA. 

Hiawatha was an Indian boy. 

He lived with his grandmother. 

Her name was Nokomis. 

* She lived in a wigwam. 

Before the wigwam was a great lake. 

Behind the wigwam was a great black forest. 
Nokomis loved Hiawatha. 

Nokomis rocked Hiawatha in his cradle. 

The cradle was made from the linden tree. 

It was lined with soft, green moss. 

Nokomis sang to Hiawatha. 

She told him stories about the stars. 

Nokomis had a friend named Iago. 


48 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


lago loved little Hiawatha. 

He made a bow and arrow for him. 

The arrow was made of wood from the oak 
tree. 

It was tipped with flint and winged with 
feathers. 

The bow was made of wood from the ash 
tree. 

The bow-string was made of deer skin, 
lago told Hiawatha to go into the forest and 
kill a deer. 

Hiawatha went all alone. 

The robins and the bluebirds saw Hiawatha. 
They sang to him. 

They said : “ Do not shoot us, Hiawatha.” 
The squirrel sprang up an oak tree near h'im. 
The squirrel laughed and chattered and said, 
“Do not shoot me, Hiawatha.” 

But he paid no attention to them. 

His thoughts were with the deer. 

He saw their tracks. 

The tracks led to the river. 

Hiawatha hid himself behind some bushes. 
He waited till the deer came down the pathway. 
O, how his heart fluttered. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


49 


But he aimed the arrow at the deer. 

He shot the arrow and the deer lay dead. 

He took the deer home. 

lago and Nokomis were pleased to see 
Hiawatha. 

They praised him. 

From the skin Nokomis made a cloak for 
Hiawatha. 

From the flesh she made a dinner, and asked 
many friends to come to see them. 

All the guests praised Hiawatha. 

STORY OF KABLU. 

In a country far, far away, in a sheltered nook 
in the mountain, we will find a house made of 
logs placed one upon another. The chinks, open¬ 
ings between the logs, are filled with moss and 
clay. The roof slopes from the rock to the top of 
the doorway which faces the sunrise. 

Here lives a boy named Kablu. It is very 
early in the morning. A few stars are shining in 
the gray light of dawn. 

Kablu is wakened by his father and he knows 
he must not linger a moment, for the first thing 
he has to do is to offer a prayer to the sun. 


50 NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 

So, in the soft morning light you can see the 
whole family standing around a broad, flat stone 
in front of their house, on which are laid ready 
materials for a fire. 

Kablu’s two sisters stand beside their father. 



He rubs dry sticks together and a flame springs 
up. 

And now the sun shines upon the family 
while they eat their breakfast of cakes made 
from crushed grain, and baked in the ashes. They 
eat with them curds and the flesh of the goat. 

Breakfast over the mother combs out wool 
for spinning and weaving. The little girls help 





NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


51 


her but Kablu goes with his father to look after 
the cows, sheep and goats. They also plant 
grain on the slopes of the high mountain. 

After this is done the father goes with Kablu 
to the clay bed, and shows the boy how to 
moisten and mould the clay and shape jars and 
cups, and pots. These they leave to dry, and in 
a few days they will build a great fire and bake 
them until they are hard and strong. 

It is now time for the sunset prayer, and after 
it has been said they all go into the house and 
draw together and fasten the mats that hang in 
the doorway, and stretching themselves on their 
beds of sheep and goat skins, they are soon fast 
asleep. 


THE PERSIAN BOY. 

Darius was a Persian boy. 

He lived in a very large city. 

It was called Babylon. 

Babylon was a wonderful city. 

It had high walls about it. 

There were gates in the wall. 

There were great palaces in Babylon. 


52 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


There were fine gardens and temples in 
Babylon. 

There was a broad river flowing through it. 

There were many date trees near Babylon. 

There were wild peach and pear trees near the 
city. 

Darius went to school. 

His school was in a large field. 

His books were running horses, javelins, bow 
and arrow and stones. 

Darius could not read. 

He could not write. 

He learned to shoot the bow and arrow. 

He learned to ride. 

He learned to be obedient. 

He learned to speak the truth. 

He learned to be courageous. 

We should be like Darius, truthful, obedient, 
and courageous. 


Allegro. » 

tj 

The Per - sian boy must learn to ride On 


WA I a 3 







liors - es swift and fleet, On, on he goes o’er 



The 
















NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


53 



do the right, And nev - er do the wrong. 

X - 


CLEON, THE GREEK BOY. 

In the sunny country of Greece once lived 
Cleon, a little Greek boy. 

Cleon was a brave, obedient, kind and strong 
little fellow with blue eyes and light hair; he was 
tall and fair, well formed and very beautiful. 

His dress was made of linen; it was two ob¬ 
long pieces of cloth fastened at the shoulders, it 
had no sleeves; on his feet were sandals; he had 
no hat on his head, but in his ears were gold 
earrings. 

Cleon liked to play leap-frog. 

He liked to play ball, too. 




























54 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


He could make oyster shells skip on the blue 
water of the Mediterranean. 

When a very small boy he liked to drive a 
hoop with tiny tinkling bells around the inside 
of it. 

When Cleon was six years old he went to 
school. 

School began at sunrise and ended at sunset. 

He learned to read, write and repeat poetry. 

We do our number work on a slate. 

Cleon did his on a little waxed tablet, and for 
a pencil he used an ivory stylus, pointed at one 
end and made flat at the other. 

Cleon studied music and learned to play on 
the lute. 

He spent much time training for the races. 

These races and games were called the Olym¬ 
pic games. They came every four years and 
were held as sacred amusements. 

If we will think of these games as Cleon 
had been taught to think of them, we, too, 
may see the true meaning of their sacredness. 
The great god Zeus had given Cleon a strong, 
beautiful body, and at the time of the games, he 
goes to the temple of Zeus to show that he has 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES ^ 55 

used that body well, and trained it to feats of 
strength and skill, kept it sacred, not injured it 
by carelessness or ill treatment, but made the 
most of it all the time. 

At these games are boys from all parts of 
Greece. 

The boys’ games come first, and at a given 
signal they are off like bright arrows from a bow. 

Cleon wins in the fourth race, after which all 
the winners run together for the olive crown. 
Cleon wins this crown which he hastens to take 
home to his parents, to whom he has done honor. 

His home was in the city of Athens, and the 
house in which he lived looked like a great wall, 
built close to the street with a marble door in the 
center of it. 

A beautiful statue stood at the inner door¬ 
way. 

Passing through a long hall, Cleon comes to 
a fine open court-yard, right in the middle of the 
house. 

The blue sky is overhead, rows of marble 
pillars are around it, and pleasant rooms open 
from it on either side. 

Not finding his parents and sister in the court- 


56 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


yard, he goes in search of them. At last he finds 
them and'gives to them the crown of wild olive. 
His father and mother praise him, his sister makes 
him a myrtle wreath, and he feels himself grow¬ 
ing into a good citizen. 

A BASKET OF FRUIT. 

Just see this basket of fruit. 

There are many kinds of fruit in the basket. 

I can see apples, peaches, pears, grapes and 
plums. 

Apples, pears, and grapes are called fleshy 
fruits. 



Cherries, peaches and plums are stone fruit. 
Wheat, corn, oats, rye, nuts and cones are 
dry fruits. 









NA TURE AND HISTOR V STORIES. 57 

Can you name other fleshy fruits? 

Can you name other dry fruits ? 

Can you name other stone fruits ? 

The fleshy fruits all have rich, juicy pulp 
around the seeds. 

The stone fruits have the pulp around a stone 
in which the seed is found. 

The dry fruits have a husk or shell around the 
kernal or seed inside. 

The fleshy, dry and stone fruits are green in 
color until the seed gets ripe. 

Then they put on their dresses of red, blue, 
gray, brown or yellow. 

How bright and pretty they look! 

We are so glad to get them. 

We thank our Father for giving them to us. 

He is good and kind. 

WHAT WE EAT. 

Think how many plants we eat. 

Plants grow out of the ground. 

The ground is a part of the earth. 

The earth is helped by the air and sunshine 
and rain. 


58 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


Corn and wheat are the seed of a plant. 

The wheat is ground into flour. 

Kablu’s wheat was not ground. 

It was crushed between two stones. 

Our flour is made into bread. 

Kablu’s flour was made into cakes. 

READY FOR WINTER. 

The farmer is gathering his fruits and grains. 
He is getting ready for winter. 

The mother is making warm coats and dresses. 
These are for her little children. 

The mother is getting ready for winter. 

Many others are getting ready for winter. 

The bear, the squirrel, the turtle, the flies, the 
grasshoppers, the flowers and the birds, are all 
getting ready for winter. 

All the trees are hard at work. 

They, too, are getting ready for winter. 

The tree is making warm coats and dresses. 
These are for her little children. 

The coats are hard and brown and are made 
of many pieces. 

The dresses are soft, warm and white. 

Inside every dress and coat is a tiny baby leaf. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


59 


When the coats and dresses are all finished 
mama tree will put her babies to sleep. 

She will put them in their cradles. 

The cradles are on the branches and twigs of 
the trees. 

The north wind will rock the cradles. 

The breezes will sing to the babies. 

They are well cared for and will take a long 
winter nap. 


THANKSGIVING. 

About the first of November the children in 
Mr. Gray’s family began thinking, talking and 



Many things were said about Grandpa, 
Grandma, the country, pumpkin pie, turkeys, 


















60 


NA TORE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


nuts, apples, and the jolly time soon to be en¬ 
joyed. 

Dear little, thoughtful Nell listened and often 
wondered what Thanksgiving really meant. One 
day she said to herself, “ I know what I’ll do, I’ll 
ask brother Fred all about it.” 

When Fred, a boy of ten, and the other chil¬ 
dren came from school, Nell said, “ Fred, what 
is Thanksgiving? ” 

“O, dear little darling, don’t you know? It 
is going to Grandpa’s an’ 
having a big dinner.” 

“Yes, and Jack’s—lan¬ 
terns, chestnuts and pop¬ 
corn,” said bright, happy, 
fun-loving Ned. 

“All very true,” said Ma¬ 
bel, “but there is much 
more to it than all of this. 

Let us go and ask papa to tell us the true mean¬ 
ing of Thanksgiving, and why we have this holi¬ 
day every year.” 

Off ran the four children. They found their 
father in the parlor. Fie was seated in a large, 
easy chair before a bright fire in the grate. In 



NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


61 


his hand he held a book, from which he seemed 
to have been reading, for a quiet smile and 
thoughtful look were on his face. 

Mama Gray was sitting near, and she, too, 
had been reading. 

“O, papa, papa, please do tell us just why 
we have Thanksgiving day,” said Nell. 

“Indeed, dear little girl, I shall be very glad 
to do so. 

“1 have a book here from which I have been 
reading many things about the first Thanksgiving, 
and will gladly tell you the story.” 

The children quietly cuddled down near papa 
and mama eager to know all about the day which 
they were so glad to have come. 

“First you must remember that many years 
ago but few white men lived in America. The 
Indian lived in this country. 

“In England, far across the ocean, there were 
many people. 

“Some of these people could not live in Eng¬ 
land and do what they thought to be right, so 
they left their homes and went to another land. 

“The land to which they journeyed was our 
own dear America. 


62 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


“They came in a ship called the Mayflower. 
“There were one hundred and two men, 
women and children on board the Mayflower. 
“They had been on the water about thirteen 



weeks, and were now looking for a place to bring 
the ship to shore. 

“They came to Plymouth harbor, left the 
Mayflower, and the first place upon which their 
feet rested was a rock. 




















NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


63 


“This rock is called Plymouth Rock. 

“Should you go to Plymouth to-day, you 
would there see the Rock. 

“At this time there were no white men here, 
no houses: It was very, very cold. The snow 
lay so deep on the ground that the men could 
neither hunt nor fish. 

“Having landed on the shores of America, 
they went to work to make log houses, and cut 
down trees to make- fires by which they could 
keep warm. 

“The people suffered so much from the cold, 
the rain, and the snow and ice. There were no 
houses. The fires were built on the snow. 
Their beds were put on the ground. Many were 
sick. They had little food. 

“But these brave people trusted in God. 

“Once all they could get to eat was a few 
clams and some water. Another time all a boy 
could get for his dimner was five kernels of 
corn. 

“One day in early spring an Indian came to 
see them. He gave them some corn to plant. 

“When the warm spring days came and the 
trees had put on their green dresses, the rabbits 


64 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


played, and the squirrels ran along the branches 
of the trees, the wild flowers sprang up in the 
woods, and the air was filled with the song of 



birds. Then this little band of Pilgrims planted 
the Indian corn. 

“Men, women and children worked hard. 

“At last autumn came with its corn and pump¬ 
kins and beans, with its plenty of food for the 
winter. 



NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


65 


“The Pilgrims were happy now. They 
thanked God for all these good things.” “They 
had a special day of Thanksgiving.” 

“Thank you, papa,” said the children. “We 
see now why we have Thanksgiving.” 

“God gives us many things.” 

“We should thank Him for them.” 

“Let us have a happy Thanksgiving.” 

PICTURE STORY. 

The picture which 1 see represents a little 
girl standing near a large gate. 

The ground is covered with soft, white snow. 

There is snow on the gate. 

The little girl’s name is Amy. 

Amy has on a long, bright red cloak, trimmed 
with a broad band of white fur. 

On her head she has a pretty red hood, 
trimmed with fur. 

On her hands are nice, brown mittens. 

She is carrying an umbrella in her right hand 
and on her arm a large basket. 

With her left hand she is about to open the 
gate near which she is standing. 


66 NA TURE AND HISTOR Y STORIES, 

In her basket she has materials for a Christ¬ 
mas dinner which she is taking to some poor old 


lady. 

I think she must be a very kind little girl. 



The above story was obtained after an oral lesson upon a large col¬ 
ored picture. 


THE MILK WEED. 

One lovely day in autumn Aunt Kate and the 
children were out walking. 

As they went along they saw many beautiful 
things. 


























































NA TORE AND HISTOR Y STORIES. 


67 


There were no birds singing in the leafless 

trees. 

“Auntie, where are all the birds?” 

“They have all gone to the beautiful south¬ 
land, dear.” 

“ And the frogs and the turtles, too?” 

“No, the frogs have hid themselves in their 
holes/’ 

“The turtles are sleeping in the mud at the 
bottom of the pond.” 

“Thank you, Auntie, and where are the ani¬ 
mals and insects?” 

“All the animals and insects of the summer 
have gone where Jack Frost cannot get them.” 

“Listen! Auntie,” said Ned. “Hear what a 
pretty song the brook is singing as it ripples 
along over the bright, smooth pebbles in its bed.’ 

“Yes, dear, it is charming music; but before 
long Jack Frost will come and kiss the brook and 
put it to sleep for the winter.” 

Suddenly little May darted away from the 
others. 

Soon she was heard crying, “Auntie, Auntie, 
please come quick and see this lovely plant! It 
has a strange stem and such queer leaves,” 



68 NA TURE AND HISTOR V STORIES. 

“What kind of a plant is it, Aunt Kate?” said 
Bessie. 

“Its stem is so filled with milk that it is called 
milk weed. We v/ill find it in many places.” 

“1 can see no flowers on this plant,” said May. 

“The flowers 
have faded and 
dropped off. Their 
work is done.” 

“Soon the root, 
stem and leaves 
will die.” 

“They have all 
been working to 
make these pods.” 

“The pods are 
very strong, soft 
and beautiful,” 
said Frank. 

“Oh, oh, oh!” cried May. “Here is an open 
pod!” 

“What can you see inside the open pod?” 
asked Aunt Kate. 

“I can see many tiny, brown scales, each hav¬ 
ing a little brown border around it,” said Bes- 




NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


69 


sie. “What are those brown scales, 
Auntie?” 

“They are the seeds. Just see how carefully 
they are placed. This soft, thick pod is a house 
in which mamma Milk-weed keeps her little 
babies.” 

“Sometimes she opens the door of the house 
and lets her children out into the sunshine.” 

“Auntie,,’ said Frank, “besides the scales 
there are soft, silky, white threads inside the 
house. What are these for?” 

“This silky piece is a sail for the little brown 
scale, so that he can go sailing away when Mr. 
Wind calls for him.” 

“Mr. Wind plays with the brown scales for a 
time, then puts them to bed in the soft, moist 
earth. Here they sleep all winter.” 

“Another summer these tiny seeds, put to bed 
by Mr. Wind, will grow and we will find the 
milk weed plant in many places.” 

“Thank you, Auntie,” said the children. “We 
will go home now and tell mamma about this 
wonderful Milk-weed Mother.” 


70 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


PETS—I. 

At Christmas time Amy went to visit her 
cousin May, who lived in the country. 

Amy’s mamma went with her. They took a 
long ride on the cars. Grandpa met them at the 
station and soon had them in his sleigh, with the 
soft fur robes tucked closely around them. The 
horses drew them swiftly along over the beauti¬ 
ful snow and it was not long before they stopped 
at the door of a fine, large house. 

May came running out to greet her cousin. 
As they went into the house the first thing Amy 
saw, lying curled up on a bright cushion near 
the fire, was a beautiful gray and white—what 
do you think? Yes, a dear little kitty with a 
soft fur coat, bright eyes and sharp teeth and 
claws. 

After playing with kitty for a time, May said 
she had many more pets she would show Amy. 
“Oh, how glad 1 am!" said Amy. “1 do love" 
pets," 

In the hall they found Rover sleeping on a 
rug. His coat was of sleek and shining hair. 
His eyes and teeth and claws were sharp, too. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


71 


They went to the barn and there, besides the 
sheep, lambs, cows, pigs, hens, chickens and 
doves they saw standing in his stall one of the 
horses that had brought grandpa, Amy and her 
mamma from the station to the house. Jack was 
quietly eating his dinner of hay and oats. These 
he took with his lips; he did not use his feet to 
help him, as Rover would have done. His one 



large, clumsy toe would be very little help to 
him. Jack’s coat was of thick, smooth hair. 


PETS—II. 

Now the children started for the play¬ 
room, where May said they would find a pet 
which Santa Claus had brought to her. 

Off they ran, but before going far Amy spied 
a pretty gray house from which peeped four of 
the brightest pink eyes she had ever seen. These 
pink eyes belonged to two very timid animals 
which were great pets of May’s. 

“These animals,” May said, “are gnawers.” 





72 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


“They have long, pointed ears and a slender 
body.” 

“They have five toes on each fore foot and 
four toes on each hind foot.” 

“They have sharp, chisel-shaped teeth.” 

“They can not climb a tree, but they like to 
dig in the ground.” 

“These animals have a soft fur coat and are 
called rabbits.” 

After watching the rabbits for a time, May 
and Amy went into the house and to the large, 
bright play-room where, in a sunny window, 
they saw a large wire cage, shaped something- 
like a house. In the house was a beautiful little 
pet who belongs to the family of gnawers. 

The Greek boys used to call him “Shadow- 
tail.” 

The Indian boys called him, “Tails-in-air,” 
but because he has such a long, bushy tail, we 
call him squirrel. 

The squirrels’ eyes are bright and twinkling. 

His ears are small. 

His teeth sharp and chisel-shaped. 

He has four toes on each front claw and five 
on each hind claw. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


73 


He stores his food in autumn and carries the 
nuts, corn or acorn in his cheeks to his home, 
which is in the hollow of some tall tree. 

If we have very sharp eyes and search care¬ 
fully we will find his nest, which is made of 
twigs, moss and leaves, all nicely woven together. 


NELL AND SKIP. 

A tame rabbit is a pretty pet. 

Some tame rabbits are pure white and some 
are spotted with black. 

The pure white rabbits have pink eyes, while 
the ones with black spots have blue eyes. 

Nell had a pet rabbit given her one day. It 
was white with a little black on one ear and 
around its eyes. 

Can you tell me the color of this rabbits 
eyes? 

Nell named him Skip. 

When Skip was little he was very cute. He 
liked to run and play with Nell and would come 
to her when she called him. 

He liked to drink milk like a cat; he also ate 


74 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


grass, but liked fresh clover leaves much better. 

Skip grew to be a large rabbit and then he 
became cross. 


When Nell went into the yard he would 
chase her and scratch her if she tried to pick 
him up. 



wood. 

Skip did not like to be shut up and would dig 
under his house or else gnaw through the boards 
to get out. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


75 


THE BEAR AND THE SQUIRREL. 

The black bear has a warm coat. 

The squirrel has a warm coat, too. 

Hew many legs has the bear? 

He has four legs. 

How many legs has the squirrel? 

The squirrel has four legs. 

The bear can stand on his hind legs. 

The squirrel can stand on his hind legs. 

Can the bear climb a tree? 

Yes, for his paws have sharp claws in them. 
The squirrel can climb a tree, too, as he has 
sharp claws. 

The bear and the squirrel both eat nuts. 

They both like a hollow tree for their home. 
The bear is a large animal. 

The squirrel is a small animal. 

The bear will harm you but the squirrel will 
not. 

The squirrel makes a nice pet. 


76 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


THE PRAIRIE DOG. 

Prairie dogs live where there are no trees. 
They live in deep holes in the ground. 

They dig the holes themselves. 

They are very busy little fellows. 

When you find one of their homes, you will 
find many others near. 

We call these homes their town. 

All prairie dogs live in towns. 

They keep the streets neat and clean. 

If you visit their town on a warm day, you 
will see them sitting by their holes. 

You will also hear them bark. 

A prairie dog has four feet. 

He is a little larger than a rat. 

The prairie dog is a timid little fellow. 

A prairie dog makes a very playful pet. 

Harry once had one that would run and bark 
at the children as they went home from school. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


77 



THE FISH. 


1 am a fish. 

Do you see me? 



I can swim. 

Can you swim? 

1 like to swim. 

I have seven fins. 

1 swim with my fins. 

I have two gills. 

I breathe through my gills. 

See my pretty dress. 

My dress is made of scales. 

Little boys and girls eat fish. 
Hiawatha caught fish with a spear. 
You catch us with a hook and line. 
Be kind to us little girls and boys. 



78 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


A TREE AND THE SUN. 

Mother tree and her children, the buds, have 
been asleep all winter. 

Jack Frost has kept them asleep. 

Now the sun shines longer each day than it 
did in December. So the days are much longer 
and warmer, too. 

The great warm sun whispered softly to the 
tree and said, “Come, Mother tree, it is time for 
you to awaken from your long winter nap.” 

“You must call all your little ones and get 
them ready for the spring, which will soon be 
here.” 

“Yes, dear sun,” answers the tree. “Do you 
not see how my bark and all the buds are glow¬ 
ing and shining?” 

“Oh yes, Mother Tree, I do see,” said the 
sun, “and that tells me you have heard and 
answered my call.” 


NATURK AND HISTORY STORIES. 


79 


A TALK OF MOTHER NATURE’S. 

One bright morning in autumn i was sitting 
in one of Mother Nature’s big rooms. 

There was a soft, mossy carpet on the floor. 

Many lovely pictures could be seen on all the 
walls. What do you think they were? 

The daintiest of perfume and the sweetest of 
music filled the air. 

This big room was a beautiful wood, where 
many kinds of trees were to be found. 

The maples had put on their dresses of red 
and gold. 

The oaks wore rich browns and red. 

The elms donned pretty brown dresses trim¬ 
med with dainty yellow. 

Mother Nature, busy and happy, was joyfully 
singing and chattering with her many children 
as she prepared them for bed and their long 
winter sleep and rest. 

It seemed to me as I listened that she spoke 
thus: 

“Little mosses, tiny grasses and dainty flower- 
roots, cuddle yourselves carefully into the soft, 


80 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


brown earth and go to sleep. Soon the trees 
will send a covering of bright leaves to keep you 
warm.” 

“When Jack Frost comes and you need 
warmer covering, he will send you a shining 
blanket of pure white.” 

“Dear little birdlings, sing me a sweet song 
and then away to the south land ere Jack Frost 
comes to harm you.” 

“Mamma Turtle and your little ones, where 
will you hide to keep from the cold? In a 
sheltered place at the root of a tree?” 

“No, mother dear, we will go into the sand 
at the bottom of the brook; there we will be 
nice and warm.” 

Mr. Frog, will you go with the turtles?” 

“We will rest in the mud of the pond.” 

“Here is one of my big, strong children, with 
a nice, warm, fur coat on. You, Mr. Bear, will 
not fear Jack Frost?” 

“Oh no, but there is no work for me to do, 
so I will find a nice hollow log, and, using it for 
a cradle, will sleep there all winter.” 

“Here are the beautiful dragon flies, the 
crickets, the mosquitoes, the gnats, the flies, the 


NA TURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 81 

grasshoppers and the katy-dids—all the tiny in¬ 
sects—what will you do?” 

“Dear Mother Nature,” said the grasshopper, 
we have done nothing but play all the summer, 
and now, when Jack Frost comes, we must die 
because we have stored no food.” 

“Good-bye, dears. I love you but cannot 
help those who have not helped themselves.” 

THE RAINBOW. 

One day in April, little Paul 
sat by the window watching the 
rain come down. 

It had been a beautiful morning and he had 
planned to have such a good time all day. But 
by and by a great dark cloud came and hid the 
sun, and now great raindrops came pattering 
against the window pane. 

Poor little Paul, it was hard to have to stay 
in-doors, but an April shower does not last long. 
Suddenly the sun came out, bright and beautiful. 

As Paul saw the sun his face became all 
smiles and, as he looked out of the window, he 
saw something in the sky that made him start. 



82 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


A great, large bow of ever so many colors, 
red, blue, orange, violet, oh how pretty it was! 
“Ah,” thought Paul, “I will run and get that.” 



So the little boy took his hat and ran out across 
the wet grass, down to the gate and .out on the 
road. But still the bow was as far away as ever. 

Soon it began to fade until he could see 
nothing but the blue sky. 

He was very tired and started for home. 
When he came to a turn in the road he sat down 
■on a large stone to rest. As he looked down into 
the grass he saw a pretty little violet with a 
large tear in her blue eye. “O, little violet,” he 











NATURE AND //1 STORY STORIES. 


83 


said, “I will take you horfie to my mamma. She 
will love you and then you will never cry any 
more.” 


COLUMBUS. 

I will tell you about a little boy. 

He lived many years ago. 

He had such a strange name. It was Chris¬ 
topher Columbus. 

Christopher Columbus’ home was far from 
our own land of America. 

His home was in Italy, in a city near the sea. 

Columbus spent many happy hours on the 
beach. 

He liked to watch the ships on the water. 

As he watched the ships come and go, he 
often thought, “I do not think the earth is flat. 
It is round like a ball.” 

“I can see the mast of the ship first.” 

“Then I can see the sails of the ship.” 

“At last I can see the whole ship.” 

Columbus did not always sit on the beach 
and think and play. 


84 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


He went to school. 

He learned to read and write and draw. 

He liked to read. 

He did not have many books. 

He learned to draw maps and often sold many 
of them. 

He learned to sail a ship. 

He became a great sea captain. 

When Columbus became a man he wanted to 
sail across the ocean. 

He would need many ships and men to help 
him do this. 

He did not have any ships and was too poor 
to buy any. 

Columbus tried many ways to get ships, and 
men to help sail them. 

At last good Queen Isabella said she would 
help him. 

She gave him one large ship and two small 
ones. 

She also sent men with him. 

The men were afraid and did not want to .go. 

At last Columbus and the men sailed away 
across the ocean. 

After many weeks the men became very 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 85 

much afraid and wanted to go back home. 
They did not believe that land was near. 
Columbus knew better. 

Birds were flying in the air. 



A log came floating by the ship. 

Fishes were caught. 

A sparrow came and alighted on the ship. 
Columbus and the men watched for the land. 
They watched until the sun went down. 









86 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


When it became dark they saw a light far out 
on the shore before them. 

As they saw this moving, shining light they 
shouted, “Land! Land!” 

This land which they saw was our own dear 
America. 

All this happened over four hundred years 
ago. 


GEORGE WASHINGTON—I. 

Many years ago, in a plain, old-fashioned 
house in Virginia a little baby boy came to make 
glad his papa and mamma. 

This dear little baby boy was George Wash¬ 
ington. 

Little baby George ate and slept and laughed 
and cried and cooed as many another baby had 
done. 

His papa and mamma thought him a darling 
baby and loved him very dearly. 

He grew to be a fine boy of five years. 

Now he was sent to school. 

The tiny school house was in a large field. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


87 


His teacher’s name was Mr. Hobby. 

Washington had a brother who was a soldier. 

This made Washington think he would be a 
soldier when he became a man. 

So he began playing soldier with the boys in 
the school. 

He also liked to run, jump and play ball. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON—II. 

Washington thought a great deal of horses. 

He was always kind to them. 

He learned to ride well. 

He was so just that his little playmates took 
their quarrels to him for settlement. 

When Washington was seven years old his 
papa died. 

He was now sent to another school. 

In this school he learned to read and write 
and do number work. 

He did all his work very well indeed. 

His writing book was very neat. 

It is still kept for us to see. 

As he grew*older his brother wanted him to 
go and learn to sail a ship. 


88 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


George wanted to go, too. 

His mother thought she could not let him go. 
So he stayed at home to please his mother. 
From this we may learn to be obedient like 


Washington. 



When nineteen years old he was made captain 
of some soldiers. 

He was sent on an important errand. 

He had to go a long, long way through the 
woods. 

There were no roads through the woods. 

So he had an Indian to guide him on his way. 
This Indian was not true. 





NA TURK AND HISTOR Y STORIES. 89 

One day he hid behind some trees and shot 
at Washington and his soldiers; but he did not 
kill them. 

Washington and his soldiers took their horses 
with them. 

These horses carried heavy loads. 

Sometimes Washington would walk and carry 
the load himself. 

This would rest his horse. 

This shows us how kind he was. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON—III. 

Washington’s home was a few miles from the 
city of Washington. m 

It was called Mt. Vernon. 

The house was a large white one. 

A broad porch was along the front of it. 

A large, smooth, grassy lawn was all around 
the house. 

Many beautiful trees were on the lawn. 

A broad, deep river flowed past Mt. Vernon. 

While Washington was still living quietly at 
Mt. Vernon, a war broke out in this country. 

Everyone knew that Washington was a just 


man. 


90 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


They knew that he was true and honest. 
They all knew that he could be trusted. 
Because of this he was chosen to lead the 
soldiers. 

He was now called General Washington. 



Washington now went with his army to 
Boston. 

They stayed here for some time. 

Very early one hot morning Washington 
went to take a ride on horseback. 

He went all alone. 



NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


91 


He had gone about two miles when he saw 
something that made him stop his horse. 

This was an old woman sitting on the steps 
of a little house. 

The old woman was crying very hard. 

Washington was sorry for her. 

He said to her, “What troubles you my good 
woman?” 

She told him some soldiers had been there 
that morning. 

They had taken everything from her garden. 

Her husband was sick. 

They now had nothing for the winter. 

The soldiers had taken it all. 

Washington asked to see her husband. 

He got off his horse and tied him to the fence. 

Then he went into the house. 

He found a poor old man sick in bed. 

Washington talked with this man and woman 
a long time. 

He found they were good people. 

Before going he took some money and gave 
to the woman for the things the soldiers had 
taken from the garden. 

It was now time for Washington to go back 


92 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


to his army. 

He had lost his long ride on horseback but he 
had been kind to those in need. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON-IV7. 

The war lasted a long time. 

After it was over the people wanted some 
one to be their ruler. 

Washington was asked by the people to be 
president. 

So he became our first president. 

He did this because he loved his country so 
much. 

He was president for eight years. 

The people of the country wanted a flag. 

They wanted it all for their very own. 

They did not want it like any other flag. 

Washington helped to make a picture of a 
flag. 

Then he took it to a woman and told her just 
how to make it. 

It was to be red, white and blue. 

The stripes were of red and white. 

Seven stripes were red. 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 93 

Six stripes were white. 

A field of blue with white stars was to be in 
the upper left hand corner of the flag. 

These colors tell us something. 

The red says, 
“Be Brave.” 

The white says, 
“Be Pure.” 

The blue says, 
“Be True.” 

This was to be 
our Country’s 
Flag. 

Washington 
loved the flag. 

He was brave, pure and true. 

We will love our Country’s Flag. 

We will be brave, pure and true. 

Washington died many years ago. 

We still celebrate his birthday. 

It comes on the twenty-second day of Febru¬ 
ary each year. 



94 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


GUESSING PLAY-1. 

Paul was slowly walking home from school 
one day, and as he went along was thinking of 
what he had just learned. 

Fred came running after him and said, as they 
walked on together, “Paul, please tell me your 
thoughts." 

“Oh, I was just thinking about something 
that lives in the earth. Its body is shaped like a 
cylinder. One end is flat. The other end is 
pointed. 

“The body is made up of many rings. 

“These rings are called joints. 

“There are many stiff, thread-like things on 
the under side of these rings, which help it move 
along. 

“It has no hands, no eyes, no ears. 

“It has no use for them. 

“Its mouth is a hole on the under side of the 
first ring of its body. A food tube runs from 
this ring through the body. The food in it is 
soft earth. 

“Its skin is very thin. It does not like the 





NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


95 


heat. It does like damp, cool places. It 
breathes through this thin skin.” 

“Just one thing more, Paul,” said Fred. “Of 
what use is this thing of which you have been 
telling me? I think I can tell you what it is.” 

“It helps the gardener keep the soil loosened 
about the plants.” 

“Oh, I know now!” laughed Fred. “It is the 
earth worm, is it not?” 

“Yes, Fred, you are right, it is the earth 
worm.” 


GUESSING PLAY-11. 

“Well, I like this kind of play,” said Paul. 

“So do I,” answered Fred. “Now you see if 
you can tell of what I am thinking.” 

“All right, I’ll do my best.” 

“I am thinking of something that is not now 
living, but that many, many, many years ago was 
alive and very beautiful. It made many people 
happy. It belonged to the vegetable kingdom, 
not to the animal kingdom as does the earth 
worm.” 

‘ Oh, I know, it was a potatoe!” said Paul. 


9fi 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


“Not quite so fast; listen quietly while I tell 
you more of this of which 1 am thinking. 

“Like the earth worm its body was made of 
many rings. By these rings one could tell its 
age. 

“It, too, had a cylinder-like body. 

“It could not move about like the earth 
worm. 

“The earth gathered around many, many of 
these beautiful vegetables until they were hid 
away down in the ground. 

“There they lay a long, long time. 

“Then more earth was packed on top of that 
already put on the vegetables. 

“At last they became very hard. 

“Now after they became hard it was a min¬ 
eral and belonged to the mineral kingdom. 

“It is very hard. 

“It is very black. 

“Men dig it from out of the earth. 

“The place from which it is dug is called a 
mine. 

“It is used to burn. 

“It will keep us warm. 

“We buy it by the ton.” 


NA TURE AND HTSTOR Y STORIES. 97 

“0! 0! CM it is coal!” shouted Paul. 

“Yes, it is coal, but I feared you would nol 
guess it.” 

Then both boys had a hearty laugh and said 
they would try this play again. 

HIAWATHA. 

See the 

See the black 
Do you see Nokomis? 




See the 


A little Indian boy lives near here. 
His name is Hiawatha. 

Hiawatha sees the 

Can Hiawatha see the star? 


Hiawatha sees the 


Hiawatha sees the 





NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


Hiawatha sees the rainbow. 

He calls the bow his flowers. 
Hiawatha sits by the wigwam. 
He sees the pretty tire-flies. 

He calls them 



Hiawatha hears the 



The owl cries “Who! who!” 
The owl has three little owls. 


Hiawatha sees when the 



shines. 


The owl sees when the (rf| and # ^ # 
shine. 




Did Hiawatha see the owls? 
Did Hiawatha hear the owls? 


Hiawatha sees the l 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


99 


Hiawatha sees the 



He calls the birds his 



Hiawatha sees the 



He sees the 



He sees the 



He calls them "Hiawatha’s Brothers." 


lagoo made Hiawatha 


Hiawatha took his bow and arrow; 

He went into the woods. 

He went to shoot a deer. 

The birds saw Hiawatha. 

They said, "Do not shoot us Hiawtha." 
Hiawatha did not hear them. 



100 


NATURE AND HISTORY STORIES. 


He was thinking only of the deer. 



The rabbit said,“Do not shoot me Hiawatha. 



saw Hiawatha. 


The 


The squirrel said, “ Do not shoot me 
Hiawatha.” 

Hiawatha did not see them. 

He saw the deer. 

Does it see Hiawatha? 


He raised his 



He took aim at the deer. 
Hiawatha shot at the deer. 
He killed the deer. 


He takes it to the 



Nokomis made him a coat. 

She made him a dinner. 

His friends came. 

They praised him for his bravery. 
























































































































































































































































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